Contact
Suitland-Silver Hill, Maryland | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
An anxious actor desires a deeper connection with his intimate partner. But crippling anxiety and the everyday work hustle disrupt his attempts at intimacy. It's a story between two Black queer men chasing their dreams while struggling with mental health.
Contact
Suitland-Silver Hill, Maryland | Film Short
Drama, LGBTQ
1 Campaigns | Maryland, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $6,125 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
100 supporters | followers
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An anxious actor desires a deeper connection with his intimate partner. But crippling anxiety and the everyday work hustle disrupt his attempts at intimacy. It's a story between two Black queer men chasing their dreams while struggling with mental health.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Clark is an aspiring actor in his early 30s, working multiple jobs, and on the tail end of anxiety treatment. He's moved back with family in a Maryland suburb and spends his evenings with Avery, a focused sales employee experiencing financial problems.
Clark longs for a deeper connection with Avery beyond sex, TV binging, and the everyday hustle, but Clark refrains from communicating this amid Avery’s woes. Meanwhile, Clark's decision to continue acting rests on a final grad school audition, since all his other schools have rejected him. When Clark's audition and Avery's financial problems take a turn for the worse, Clark must decide whether communicating his needs is worth it when two men are vying for their future and mental well-being.
Director's Statement
As a Black gay man, communicating my needs in relationships has been a struggle. Instead, I’d rather quiet my voice so I can maintain the high of the romance, the sex...the not feeling lonely. Communication proves more challenging as a hustling artist who doesn’t always prioritize my feelings.
While some Black queer men have rightfully reached career success and #CouplesGoals, I long for representation of the in-between periods. "Contact" serves as a testament to my experience, other queer men I know, and hopefully, a larger generation coming to terms with wellness in an overworked landscape.
-Royce Dunmore
Director's Previous Work: https://vimeo.com/roycedunmore
Black queer youth can experience specific rejection based on race, gender, and sexuality. This can result in mental health issues that carry over into adulthood, including anxiety.
“Contact” seeks to portray how one facet of this struggle can show up in adult relationships while also bearing in mind the added pressures of career and financial stability - especially in a post-COVID world. What does a wellness journey look like for us? What are the tools to help us cope in this climate?
Intimate and emotional character drama that brings the audience into our leads’ most isolating moments - their anxieties, their disappointments, their joys. Inspired by intimate dramas like Happy Together (1997), Moonlight (2016), and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), and the visual style of movies like Lovers Rock (2020).
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Our ideal budget for this film is $25,000. We already have $10,000 from our director’s personal savings.
$6,000 is the absolute minimum we need for production and bare editing costs.
Stretch Goals
If we raise $9,000, we can pay for additional production crew for a smoother shoot.
If we raise $11,000, we can pay for post-sound editing and increased crew rates.
If we raise $12,000, we can pay for an original music score.
If we raise $15,000, we can pay rates for minor acting roles, film festival submissions, and additional promotional expenses.
October
- Cast actors
- Secure crew
- Lock locations
November
- Fundraise
- Rehearse with cast
- Prepare production materials (shot list, schedule, location, etc.)
December
- Shoot film
- Capture production stills for promotion and marketing
January (2025)
- Edit film
February
- Sound editing and color correction
March and beyond
- Submit to festivals
- Attend festivals and build promotional campaign
- Shop for distribution partnerships and platforms (YouTube channels, Vimeo, etc.)
- Post short online for public viewing
Follow us on Instagram!: @ContactAShortFilm
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Transportation
Costs $725
This will get cast and crew to and from shooting locations, including possible interstate travel for two of our cast members.
Basic Editing
Costs $1,200
This will go towards paying an editor and basic color correction.
Cast & Crew Rates (PORTION)
Costs $3,475
This will go towards a portion of cast and crew rates, including camera crew.
Share this update!
About This Team
Royce Dunmore
Director, Writer, Producer
Royce Dunmore is a screenwriter, filmmaker, and journalist who creates stories that explore family drama, relationship scars, and coming-of-age humor with a splash of fantasy. He grew up in Suitland, Maryland and graduated from New York University’s Film and Television program. His short films Death, Daughters and Laugh Tracks and Noah Dreams of Origami Fortunes (starring Stranger Things actor Caleb McLaughlin) have screened at multiple festivals, including BlackStar Film Festival and Pan African Film & Arts Festival. Dunmore’s commitment to Black storytelling and community building motivates his creative pursuits so he can share stories closest to him with the world.
Previous Work: https://vimeo.com/roycedunmore
Melanie Lawrence
Producer
Melanie is an actress, teaching artist, writer, and costume designer now turned producer. As an overall creative and D.C. native, her work has been seen in regional theaters including Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, Folger Theater, and Theater Alliance. Diving into film as theaters shut down indefinitely in 2020, she was happy to meet Royce in a virtual film writers group and stay connected the past four years. She's excited to bring Contact to life and tell stories that reflect her community in authentic ways.
Anzhonny Castillo
Cinematographer
At the heart of Anzhonny's work as a Director of Photography is a profound love for storytelling. During his early childhood in the Dominican Republic, he came across his dad’s old handycam, which sparked his curiosity about the process of capturing images and the art of filmmaking as a whole. Anzhonny has spent more than a decade pursuing the craft of making movies and is dedicated to telling character-driven stories that resonate deeply with audiences.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Clark is an aspiring actor in his early 30s, working multiple jobs, and on the tail end of anxiety treatment. He's moved back with family in a Maryland suburb and spends his evenings with Avery, a focused sales employee experiencing financial problems.
Clark longs for a deeper connection with Avery beyond sex, TV binging, and the everyday hustle, but Clark refrains from communicating this amid Avery’s woes. Meanwhile, Clark's decision to continue acting rests on a final grad school audition, since all his other schools have rejected him. When Clark's audition and Avery's financial problems take a turn for the worse, Clark must decide whether communicating his needs is worth it when two men are vying for their future and mental well-being.
Director's Statement
As a Black gay man, communicating my needs in relationships has been a struggle. Instead, I’d rather quiet my voice so I can maintain the high of the romance, the sex...the not feeling lonely. Communication proves more challenging as a hustling artist who doesn’t always prioritize my feelings.
While some Black queer men have rightfully reached career success and #CouplesGoals, I long for representation of the in-between periods. "Contact" serves as a testament to my experience, other queer men I know, and hopefully, a larger generation coming to terms with wellness in an overworked landscape.
-Royce Dunmore
Director's Previous Work: https://vimeo.com/roycedunmore
Black queer youth can experience specific rejection based on race, gender, and sexuality. This can result in mental health issues that carry over into adulthood, including anxiety.
“Contact” seeks to portray how one facet of this struggle can show up in adult relationships while also bearing in mind the added pressures of career and financial stability - especially in a post-COVID world. What does a wellness journey look like for us? What are the tools to help us cope in this climate?
Intimate and emotional character drama that brings the audience into our leads’ most isolating moments - their anxieties, their disappointments, their joys. Inspired by intimate dramas like Happy Together (1997), Moonlight (2016), and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019), and the visual style of movies like Lovers Rock (2020).
Our ideal budget for this film is $25,000. We already have $10,000 from our director’s personal savings.
$6,000 is the absolute minimum we need for production and bare editing costs.
Stretch Goals
If we raise $9,000, we can pay for additional production crew for a smoother shoot.
If we raise $11,000, we can pay for post-sound editing and increased crew rates.
If we raise $12,000, we can pay for an original music score.
If we raise $15,000, we can pay rates for minor acting roles, film festival submissions, and additional promotional expenses.
October
- Cast actors
- Secure crew
- Lock locations
November
- Fundraise
- Rehearse with cast
- Prepare production materials (shot list, schedule, location, etc.)
December
- Shoot film
- Capture production stills for promotion and marketing
January (2025)
- Edit film
February
- Sound editing and color correction
March and beyond
- Submit to festivals
- Attend festivals and build promotional campaign
- Shop for distribution partnerships and platforms (YouTube channels, Vimeo, etc.)
- Post short online for public viewing
Follow us on Instagram!: @ContactAShortFilm
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Transportation
Costs $725
This will get cast and crew to and from shooting locations, including possible interstate travel for two of our cast members.
Basic Editing
Costs $1,200
This will go towards paying an editor and basic color correction.
Cast & Crew Rates (PORTION)
Costs $3,475
This will go towards a portion of cast and crew rates, including camera crew.
Share this update!
About This Team
Royce Dunmore
Director, Writer, Producer
Royce Dunmore is a screenwriter, filmmaker, and journalist who creates stories that explore family drama, relationship scars, and coming-of-age humor with a splash of fantasy. He grew up in Suitland, Maryland and graduated from New York University’s Film and Television program. His short films Death, Daughters and Laugh Tracks and Noah Dreams of Origami Fortunes (starring Stranger Things actor Caleb McLaughlin) have screened at multiple festivals, including BlackStar Film Festival and Pan African Film & Arts Festival. Dunmore’s commitment to Black storytelling and community building motivates his creative pursuits so he can share stories closest to him with the world.
Previous Work: https://vimeo.com/roycedunmore
Melanie Lawrence
Producer
Melanie is an actress, teaching artist, writer, and costume designer now turned producer. As an overall creative and D.C. native, her work has been seen in regional theaters including Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth, Folger Theater, and Theater Alliance. Diving into film as theaters shut down indefinitely in 2020, she was happy to meet Royce in a virtual film writers group and stay connected the past four years. She's excited to bring Contact to life and tell stories that reflect her community in authentic ways.
Anzhonny Castillo
Cinematographer
At the heart of Anzhonny's work as a Director of Photography is a profound love for storytelling. During his early childhood in the Dominican Republic, he came across his dad’s old handycam, which sparked his curiosity about the process of capturing images and the art of filmmaking as a whole. Anzhonny has spent more than a decade pursuing the craft of making movies and is dedicated to telling character-driven stories that resonate deeply with audiences.